Everybody gets off track once in a while. You get distracted, a new task comes up, whatever the reason, sometimes you just don’t get done what needs to get done. Having at least a 5-year business plan and an accountability partner can help you stay on track.

Your business plan can be a basic document about what you plan to achieve over a 5-year period and the steps you will take to see those goals met. It doesn’t matter so much WHAT your plan is at it does ensuring that you lay it out clearly. If you have no plan or goal to achieve for your business, it’s a good bet you’ll end up stuck in a rut, unsure of what your next move should be. By planning for your business years out, you always have a plan of action to follow.

Another important component is to have an accountability partner. We all get lazy and fall off the wagon once in a while, and sometimes all it takes is to have that one person in your ear telling you to get back on track. Your accountability partner can be a co-worker, a friend, a professional acquaintance, even your assistant – as long as they are someone who isn’t afraid to give you a kick in the butt every once in a while to get you back where you need to be. If your accountability partner can’t be blunt enough to do that, it’s time to find a new one.

Sometimes time management can be tough with an accountability partner – just make sure you’re not spending all your time talking to them about being “accountable.” If it’s money time (basically from 8:30A to 8:30P is your working hours or “money time”) then you need to suck it up and do what needs to be done – make those cold calls, stop by those FSBO homes, etc.